Progressivism
Taft and Wilson
Taft and Progressivism
• He passed the Payne-Aldrich Tariff
– A protective tariff
– It did not reduce tariffs like the progressives
wanted
• He reserved more public lands
• Brought more antitrust suits than TR did.
• Ballinger-Pinchot Affair made Taft look like
he didn’t support the preservation of public
land
Taft and Progressivism
• Supported the 16th and 17th amendments and
the children’s bureau
– 16th – it gave Congress the right to collect
income taxes
– 17th – it allowed for the direct election of
Senators
• Supported the Mann-Elkins Act of 1910
– It gave the ICC the power to regulate telelphone
and Telegraph rates
Four Way Election of 1912
• Theodore Roosevelt – Bull
Moose Party
– Also know as the progressive
party
– Fought for:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tariff reduction
Increase regulation of business
Child labor ban
Eight hour work days
Federal workers’ compensation
Direct election of Senators
Four Way Election of 1912
• William Howard Taft –
Republican
– Tariff reduction
– Reserve public land
– Antitrust suits
Four Way Election of 1912
• Woodrow Wilson –
Democrat
– Enforce antitrust laws
– Tariff reduction
– Federal taxes
Wilson’s New Freedom Plan
Four Way Election of 1912
• Eugene V. Debs –
Socialist
– He wanted to change from
a capitalist system to a
socialist system
– Redistribute wealth
equally
– Government control of
business
Four Way Election of 1912
• Wilson wins the election
– Republican vote was split between Roosevelt
and Taft
– Wilson wins the Democratic vote
– Wilson won 42% of the popular vote
– Electoral Collage
• Wilson 435
• Roosevelt 88
• Taft 8
Wilson and Progressivism
• Passed the Underwood Tariff Act of 1913
– Lowered tariffs from 40% to 25%
• Signed into law the federal income tax
• Clayton Antitrust Act
– Put a stop to trusts
• Started the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC)
– Over sees business
– Regulates business
Wilson and Progressivism
• Started Federal Reserve System
• Placed a progressive lawyer onto the
Supreme Court
– Lewis D. Brandeis
Were Progressivism Failed
• It did not help Black Americans
– Jim Crow laws were enforced even more under
Wilson
– Many blacks felt ignored by progressivism
reforms
• Progressive era ends when WWI starts